A Thought from the Word - A 15-second thought based on Ephesians 2: 8 - 9

Bible Readings for October 31, 2015

Today our passages are Lamentations 4:1–5:22; Hebrews 2:1-18; Psalm 103:1-22; and Proverbs 26:23. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal. 

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Lamentations 4-5:22 (Contemporary English Version)

Lamentations 4

The Punishment of Jerusalem

The Prophet Speaks:

 ¹The purest gold is ruined    and has lost its shine;
   jewels from the temple
   lie scattered in the streets.
    ²These are Zion's people,
   worth more than purest gold;
   yet they are counted worthless
   like dishes of clay.
    ³Even jackals ^[a] nurse their young, but my people are like ostriches
   that abandon their own.
    ⁴Babies are so thirsty
   that their tongues
   are stuck
   to the roof of the mouth.
   Children go begging for food,
   but no one gives them any.
    ⁵All who ate expensive foods
   lie starving in the streets;
   those who grew up in luxury
   now sit on trash heaps.
    ⁶My nation was punished worse
   than the people of Sodom,
   whose city was destroyed
   in a flash
   without the help
   of human hands. ^{[b] 7}The leaders of Jerusalem
   were purer than snow
   and whiter than milk;
   their bodies were healthy
   and glowed like jewels. ^{[c] 8}Now they are blacker than tar,
   and no one recognizes them;
   their skin clings to their bones
   and is drier than firewood.
    ⁹Being killed with a sword
   is better
   than slowly
   starving to death.
    ¹⁰Life in the city is so bad
   that loving mothers
   have boiled
   and eaten their own children.
    ¹¹The LORD was so fiercely angry
   that he burned the city of Zion
   to the ground.
    ¹²Not a king on this earth
   or the people of any nation
   believed enemies could break
   through her gates.
    ¹³Jerusalem was punished because
   her prophets and her priests
   had sinned and caused the death
   of innocent victims.
    ¹⁴Yes, her prophets and priests
   were covered with blood;
   no one would come near them,
   as they wandered
   from street to street.
    ¹⁵Instead, everyone shouted,
   "Go away! Don't touch us!
   You're filthy and unfit
   to belong to God's people!"
   So they had to leave
   and become refugees.
   But foreign nations told them,
   "You can't stay here!" ^{[d] 16}The LORD is the one
   who sent them scattering,
   and he has forgotten them.
   No respect or kindness
   will be shown
   to the priests or leaders.
    ¹⁷Our eyes became weary,
   hopelessly looking
   for help
   from a nation ^[e] that could not save us.
    ¹⁸Enemies hunted us down
   on every public street.
   Our time was up;
   our doom was near.
    ¹⁹They swooped down faster
   than eagles from the sky.
   They hunted for us in the hills
   and set traps to catch us
   out in the desert.
    ²⁰The LORD's chosen leader ^[f] was our hope for survival!
   We thought he would keep us safe
   somewhere among the nations,
   but even he was caught
   in one of their traps.
    ²¹You people of Edom
   can celebrate now!
   But your time will come
   to suffer
   and stagger
   around naked.
    ²²The people of Zion
   have paid for their sins,
   and the Lord will soon
   let them return home.
   But, people of Edom,
   you will be punished,
   and your sins exposed.
   

Lamentations 5

A Prayer for Mercy

The People of Jerusalem Pray: ^[g]

 ¹Our LORD, don't forget    how we have suffered
   and been disgraced.
    ²Foreigners and strangers
   have taken our land
   and our homes.
    ³We are like children
   whose mothers are widows.
    ⁴The water we drink
   and the wood we burn
   cost far too much.
    ⁵We are terribly mistreated; ^[h] we are worn out
   and can find no rest.
    ⁶We had to surrender
   to ^[i] Egypt and Assyria because we were hungry.
    ⁷Our ancestors sinned,
   but they are dead,
   and we are left to pay
   for their sins.
    ⁸Slaves are now our rulers,
   and there is no one
   to set us free.
    ⁹We are in danger
   from brutal desert tribes;
   we must risk our lives
   just to bring in our crops. ^{[j] 10}Our skin is scorched
   from fever and hunger.
    ¹¹On Zion and everywhere in Judah
   our wives and daughters
   are being raped.
    ¹²Our rulers are strung up
   by their arms,
   and our nation's advisors
   are treated shamefully.
    ¹³Young men are forced
   to do the work of slaves;
   boys must carry
   heavy loads of wood.
    ¹⁴Our leaders are not allowed
   to decide cases in court,
   and young people
   no longer play music.
    ¹⁵Our hearts are sad;
   instead of dancing,
   we mourn.
    ¹⁶Zion's glory has disappeared!
   And we are doomed
   because of our sins.
    ¹⁷We feel sick all over
   and can't even see straight;
    ¹⁸our city is in ruins,
   overrun by wild dogs.
    ¹⁹You will rule forever, LORD!
   You are King for all time.
    ²⁰Why have you forgotten us
   for so long?
    ²¹Bring us back to you!
   Give us a fresh start.
    ²²Or do you despise us so much
   that you don't want us?
   

Footnotes:

1. Lamentations 4:3 jackals: Desert animals related to wolves, but smaller.
2. Lamentations 4:6 hands: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 6.
3. Lamentations 4:7 jewels: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 7.
4. Lamentations 4:15 here: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 15.
5. Lamentations 4:17 nation: Egypt, a former ally of Judah.
6. Lamentations 4:20 chosen leader: Probably Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, taken away to Babylonia in 586 B.C.
7. Lamentations 5:1 (5.1 The People of Jerusalem Pray: Or "The Prophet Prays.")
8. Lamentations 5:5 We. . . mistreated: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
9. Lamentations 5:6 surrender to: Or "make treaties with."
10. Lamentations 5:9 crops: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 9.

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Hebrews 2:1-18 (Contemporary English Version)

Hebrews 2

This Great Way of Being Saved

 ¹We must give our full attention to what we were told, so that we won't drift away. ²The message spoken by angels proved to be true, and all who disobeyed or rejected it were punished as they deserved. ³So if we refuse this great way of being saved, how can we hope to escape? The Lord himself was the first to tell about it, and people who heard the message proved to us that it was true. ⁴God himself showed that his message was true by working all kinds of powerful miracles and wonders. He also gave his Holy Spirit to anyone he chose to.    

The One Who Leads Us To Be Saved

 ⁵We know that God did not put the future world under the power of angels. ⁶Somewhere in the Scriptures someone says to God,    "What makes you care
   about us humans?
   Why are you concerned
   for weaklings such as we?
    ⁷You made us lower
   than the angels
   for a while.
   Yet you have crowned us
   with glory and honor. ^{[a] 8}And you have put everything
   under our power!"
   God has put everything under our power and has not left anything out of our power. But we still don't see it all under our power. ⁹What we do see is Jesus, who for a little while was made lower than the angels. Because of God's wonderful kindness, Jesus died for everyone. And now that Jesus has suffered and died, he is crowned with glory and honor!
    ¹⁰Everything belongs to God, and all things were created by his power. So God did the right thing when he made Jesus perfect by suffering, as Jesus led many of God's children to be saved and to share in his glory. ¹¹Jesus and the people he makes holy all belong to the same family. That is why he isn't ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. ¹²He even said to God,
   "I will tell them your name
   and sing your praises
   when they come together
   to worship."
    ¹³He also said,
   "I will trust God."
   Then he said,
   "Here I am with the children
   God has given me."
    ¹⁴We are people of flesh and blood. That is why Jesus became one of us. He died to destroy the devil, who had power over death. ¹⁵But he also died to rescue all of us who live each day in fear of dying. ¹⁶Jesus clearly did not come to help angels, but he did come to help Abraham's descendants. ¹⁷He had to be one of us, so that he could serve God as our merciful and faithful high priest and sacrifice himself for the forgiveness of our sins. ¹⁸And now that Jesus has suffered and was tempted, he can help anyone else who is tempted.
   

Footnotes:

1. Hebrews 2:7 and honor: Some manuscripts add "and you have placed us in charge of all you created."

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Psalm 103:1-22 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 103

(By David.)

The LORD's Wonderful Love

 ¹With all my heart    I praise the LORD,
   and with all that I am
   I praise his holy name!
    ²With all my heart
   I praise the LORD!
   I will never forget
   how kind he has been.
    ³The LORD forgives our sins,
   heals us when we are sick,
    ⁴and protects us from death.
   His kindness and love
   are a crown on our heads.
    ⁵Each day that we live, ^[a] he provides for our needs
   and gives us the strength
   of a young eagle.
    ⁶For all who are mistreated,
   the LORD brings justice.
    ⁷He taught his Law to Moses
   and showed all Israel
   what he could do.
    ⁸The LORD is merciful!
   He is kind and patient,
   and his love never fails.
    ⁹The LORD won't always be angry
   and point out our sins;
    ¹⁰he doesn't punish us
   as our sins deserve.
    ¹¹How great is God's love for all
   who worship him?
   Greater than the distance
   between heaven and earth!
    ¹²How far has the LORD taken
   our sins from us?
   Farther than the distance
   from east to west!
    ¹³Just as parents are kind
   to their children,
   the LORD is kind
   to all who worship him,
    ¹⁴because he knows
   we are made of dust.
    ¹⁵We humans are like grass
   or wild flowers
   that quickly bloom.
    ¹⁶But a scorching wind blows,
   and they quickly wither
   to be forever forgotten.
    ¹⁷The LORD is always kind
   to those who worship him,
   and he keeps his promises
   to their descendants
    ¹⁸who faithfully obey him.
    ¹⁹God has set up his kingdom
   in heaven,
   and he rules
   the whole creation.
    ²⁰All of you mighty angels,
   who obey God's commands,
   come and praise your LORD!
    ²¹All of you thousands
   who serve and obey God,
   come and praise your LORD!
    ²²All of God's creation
   and all that he rules,
   come and praise your LORD!
   With all my heart
   I praise the LORD!
   

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 103:5 Each. . . live: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Proverbs 26:23 (Contemporary English Version)

²³Hiding hateful thoughts
   behind smooth ^[a] talk is like coating a clay pot
   with a cheap glaze.
   

Footnotes:

1. Proverbs 26:23 smooth: One ancient translation; Hebrew " hateful."

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Verse of the Day

 

“Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack. But you must resist the devil and stay strong in your faith. You know that all over the world the Lord's followers are suffering just as you are.” - 1 Peter 5:8-9

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Canadian novelist and artist, Douglas Coupland wrote, “If human beings had genuine courage, they'd wear their costumes every day of the year, not just on Halloween.”

A Thought from the Word - A 15-second thought based on Romans 12:1

Bible Readings for October 30, 2015

Today our passages are Lamentations 2:20–3:66; Hebrews 1:1-14; Psalm 102:1-28; and Proverbs 26:21-22. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal. 

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Lamentations 2:20-3:66 (Contemporary English Version)

Jerusalem Speaks:

 ²⁰Think about it, LORD!    Have you ever been this cruel
   to anyone before?
   Is it right for mothers
   to eat their children,
   or for priests and prophets
   to be killed in your temple?
    ²¹My people, both young and old,
   lie dead in the streets.
   Because you were angry,
   my young men and women
   were brutally slaughtered.
    ²²When you were angry, LORD,
   you invited my enemies
   like guests for a party.
   No one survived that day;
   enemies killed my children,
   my own little ones.
   

Lamentations 3

There Is Still Hope

The Prophet Speaks:

 ¹I have suffered much    because God was angry.
    ²He chased me into a dark place,
   where no light could enter.
    ³I am the only one he punishes
   over and over again,
   without ever stopping.
    ⁴God caused my skin and flesh
   to waste away,
   and he crushed my bones.
    ⁵He attacked and surrounded me
   with hardships and trouble;
    ⁶he forced me to sit in the dark
   like someone long dead.
    ⁷God built a fence around me
   that I cannot climb over,
   and he chained me down.
    ⁸Even when I shouted
   and prayed for help,
   he refused to listen.
    ⁹God put big rocks in my way
   and made me follow
   a crooked path.
    ¹⁰God was like a bear or a lion
   waiting in ambush for me;
    ¹¹he dragged me from the road,
   then tore me to shreds. ^{[a] 12}God took careful aim
   and shot his arrows
    ¹³straight through my heart.
    ¹⁴I am a joke to everyone--
   no one ever stops
   making fun of me.
    ¹⁵God has turned my life sour.
    ¹⁶He made me eat gravel
   and rubbed me in the dirt.
    ¹⁷I cannot find peace
   or remember happiness.
    ¹⁸I tell myself, "I am finished!
   I can't count on the LORD
   to do anything for me."
    ¹⁹Just thinking of my troubles
   and my lonely wandering
   makes me miserable.
    ²⁰That's all I ever think about,
   and I am depressed. ^{[b] 21}Then I remember something
   that fills me with hope.
    ²²The LORD's kindness never fails!
   If he had not been merciful,
   we would have been destroyed. ^{[c] 23}The LORD can always be trusted
   to show mercy each morning.
    ²⁴Deep in my heart I say,
   "The LORD is all I need;
   I can depend on him!"
    ²⁵The LORD is kind to everyone
   who trusts and obeys him.
    ²⁶It is good to wait patiently
   for the LORD to save us.
    ²⁷When we are young,
   it is good to struggle hard
    ²⁸and to sit silently alone,
   if this is what
   the LORD intends.
    ²⁹Being rubbed in the dirt
   can teach us a lesson; ^{[d] 30}we can also learn from insults
   and hard knocks.
    ³¹The Lord won't always reject us!
    ³²He causes a lot of suffering,
   but he also has pity
   because of his great love.
    ³³The Lord doesn't enjoy
   sending grief or pain.
    ³⁴Don't trample prisoners
   under your feet
    ³⁵or cheat anyone out of
   what is rightfully theirs.
   God Most High sees everything,
    ³⁶and he knows
   when you refuse
   to give someone a fair trial.
    ³⁷No one can do anything
   without the Lord's approval.
    ³⁸Good and bad each happen
   at the command
   of God Most High.
    ³⁹We're still alive!
   We shouldn't complain
   when we are being punished
   for our sins.
    ⁴⁰Instead, we should think
   about the way we are living,
   and turn back to the LORD.
    ⁴¹When we lift our hands
   in prayer to God in heaven,
   we should offer him our hearts
   and say, ⁴²"We've sinned!
   We've rebelled against you,
   and you haven't forgiven us!
    ⁴³Anger is written all over you,
   as you pursue and slaughter us
   without showing pity.
    ⁴⁴You are behind a wall of clouds
   that blocks out our prayers.
    ⁴⁵You allowed nations
   to treat us like garbage;
    ⁴⁶our enemies curse us.
    ⁴⁷We are terrified and trapped,
   caught and crushed."
    ⁴⁸My people are destroyed!
   Tears flood my eyes,
    ⁴⁹and they won't stop
    ⁵⁰until the LORD looks down
   from heaven and helps.
    ⁵¹I am horrified when I see
   what enemies have done
   to the young women of our city.
    ⁵²No one had reason to hate me,
   but I was hunted down
   like a bird.
    ⁵³Then they tried to kill me
   by tossing me into a pit
   and throwing stones at me.
    ⁵⁴Water covered my head--
   I thought I was gone.
    ⁵⁵From the bottom of the pit,
   I prayed to you, LORD.
    ⁵⁶I begged you to listen.
   "Help!" I shouted. "Save me!"
   You answered my prayer
    ⁵⁷and came when I was in need.
   You told me, "Don't worry!"
    ⁵⁸You rescued me
   and saved my life.
    ⁵⁹You saw them abuse me, LORD,
   so make things right.
    ⁶⁰You know every plot
   they have made against me.
    ⁶¹Yes, you know their insults
   and their evil plans.
    ⁶²All day long they attack
   with words and whispers.
    ⁶³No matter what they are doing,
   they keep on mocking me.
    ⁶⁴Pay them back for everything
   they have done, LORD!
    ⁶⁵Put your curse on them
   and make them suffer. ^{[e] 66}Get angry and go after them
   until not a trace is left
   under the heavens.
   

Footnotes:

1. Lamentations 3:11 shreds: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 11.
2. Lamentations 3:20 I am depressed: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
3. Lamentations 3:22 destroyed: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 22.
4. Lamentations 3:29 lesson: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 29.
5. Lamentations 3:65 make them suffer: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.

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Hebrews 1:1-14 (Contemporary English Version)

Hebrews 1

 ¹Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. ²But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son. ³God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together.    After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side ^[a] of the glorious God in heaven. ⁴He had become much greater than the angels, and the name he was given is far greater than any of theirs.

God's Son Is Greater than Angels

 ⁵God has never said    to any of the angels,
   "You are my Son, because today
   I have become your Father!"
   Neither has God said
   to any of them,
   "I will be his Father,
   and he will be my Son!"
    ⁶When God brings his first-born Son ^[b] into the world, he commands all of his angels to worship him. ⁷And when God speaks about the angels, he says,
   "I change my angels into wind
   and my servants
   into flaming fire."
    ⁸But God says about his Son,
   "You are God,
   and you will rule
   as King forever!
   Your ^[c] royal power brings about justice.
    ⁹You loved justice
   and hated evil,
   and so I, your God,
   have chosen you.
   I appointed you
   and made you happier
   than any of your friends."
    ¹⁰The Scriptures also say,
   "In the beginning, Lord,
   you were the one
   who laid the foundation
   of the earth
   and created the heavens.
    ¹¹They will all disappear
   and wear out like clothes,
   but you will last forever.
    ¹²You will roll them up
   like a robe
   and change them
   like a garment.
   But you are always the same,
   and you will live forever."
    ¹³God never said to any
   of the angels,
   "Sit at my right side
   until I make your enemies
   into a footstool for you!"
    ¹⁴Angels are merely spirits sent to serve people who are going to be saved.
   

Footnotes:

1. Hebrews 1:3 right side: The place of honor and power.
2. Hebrews 1:6 first-born Son: The first son born into a family had certain privileges that the other children did not have. In 12.23 "first-born" refers to God's special people.
3. Hebrews 1:8 Your: Some manuscripts have "His."

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Psalm 102:1-28 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 102

(A prayer for someone who hurts and needs to ask the LORD for help.)

A Prayer in Time of Trouble

 ¹I pray to you, LORD!    Please listen.
    ²Don't hide from me
   in my time of trouble.
   Pay attention to my prayer
   and quickly give an answer.
    ³My days disappear like smoke,
   and my bones are burning
   as though in a furnace.
    ⁴I am wasting away like grass,
   and my appetite is gone.
    ⁵My groaning never stops,
   and my bones can be seen
   through my skin.
    ⁶I am like a lonely owl
   in the desert
    ⁷or a restless sparrow
   alone on a roof.
    ⁸My enemies insult me all day,
   and they use my name
   for a curse word.
    ⁹Instead of food,
   I have ashes to eat
   and tears to drink,
    ¹⁰because you are furious
   and have thrown me aside.
    ¹¹My life fades like a shadow
   at the end of day
   and withers like grass.
    ¹²Our LORD, you are King forever
   and will always be famous.
    ¹³You will show pity to Zion
   because the time has come.
    ¹⁴We, your servants,
   love each stone in the city,
   and we are sad to see them
   lying in the dirt.
    ¹⁵Our LORD, the nations
   will honor you,
   and all kings on earth
   will praise your glory.
    ¹⁶You will rebuild
   the city of Zion.
   Your glory will be seen,
    ¹⁷and the prayers of the homeless
   will be answered.
    ¹⁸Future generations must also
   praise the LORD,
   so write this for them:
    ¹⁹"From his holy temple,
   the LORD looked down
   at the earth.
    ²⁰He listened to the groans
   of prisoners,
   and he rescued everyone
   who was doomed to die."
    ²¹All Jerusalem should praise
   you, our LORD,
    ²²when people from every nation
   meet to worship you.
    ²³I should still be strong,
   but you, LORD, have made
   an old person of me.
    ²⁴You will live forever!
   Years mean nothing to you.
   Don't cut my life in half!
    ²⁵In the beginning, LORD,
   you laid the earth's foundation
   and created the heavens.
    ²⁶They will all disappear
   and wear out like clothes.
   You change them,
   as you would a coat,
   but you last forever.
    ²⁷You are always the same.
   Years cannot change you.
    ²⁸Every generation of those
   who serve you
   will live in your presence.

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Proverbs 26:21-22 (Contemporary English Version)

²¹Troublemakers start trouble,
   just as sparks and fuel
   start a fire.
    ²²There is nothing so delicious
   as the taste of gossip!
   It melts in your mouth.

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Verse of the Day

“You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve. This is God's gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn't something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.” - Ephesians 2:8-9

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

Canadian poet, academic, and publisher known for his role in defining Modernism in poetry, and for his literary criticism, Louis Dudek wroten, “What is forgiven is usually well remembered.”

A Thought from the Word - A 15-second thought based on 1 Peter 1:24-25

Bible Readings for October 29, 2015

Today our passages are Lamentations 1:1–2:19; Philemon 1-25; Psalm 101:1-8; and Proverbs 26:20. The readings are from the Contemporary English Version. If you find these readings helpful, please consider sending an offering directly to Cove Presbyterian Church, 3404 Main Street, Weirton, West Virginia or through PayPal. 

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Lamentations 1-2:19 (Contemporary English Version)

Lamentations 1

Lonely Jerusalem

The Prophet Speaks:

 ¹Jerusalem, once so crowded,    lies deserted and lonely.
   This city that was known
   all over the world
   is now like a widow.
   This queen of the nations
   has been made a slave.
    ²Each night, bitter tears
   flood her cheeks.
   None of her former lovers
   are there to offer comfort;
   her friends ^[a] have betrayed her and are now her enemies.
    ³The people of Judah are slaves,
   suffering in a foreign land,
   with no rest from sorrow.
   Their enemies captured them
   and were terribly cruel. ^{[b] 4}The roads to Zion mourn
   because no one travels there
   to celebrate the festivals.
   The city gates are deserted;
   priests are weeping.
   Young women are raped; ^[c] Zion is in sorrow!
    ⁵Enemies now rule the city
   and live as they please.
   The LORD has punished Jerusalem
   because of her awful sins;
   he has let her people
   be dragged away.
    ⁶Zion's glory has disappeared.
   Her leaders are like deer
   that cannot find pasture;
   they are hunted down
   till their strength is gone.
    ⁷Her people recall the good life
   that once was theirs;
   now they suffer
   and are scattered.
   No one was there to protect them
   from their enemies
   who sneered
   when their city was taken.
    ⁸Jerusalem's horrible sins
   have made the city a joke.
   Those who once admired her
   now hate her instead--
   she has been disgraced;
   she groans and turns away.
    ⁹Her sins had made her filthy,
   but she wasn't worried
   about what could happen.
   And when Jerusalem fell,
   it was so tragic.
   No one gave her comfort
   when she cried out,
   "Help! I'm in trouble, LORD!
   The enemy has won."
    ¹⁰Zion's treasures were stolen.
   Jerusalem saw foreigners
   enter her place of worship,
   though the LORD
   had forbidden them
   to belong to his people. ^{[d] 11}Everyone in the city groans
   while searching for food;
   they trade their valuables
   for barely enough scraps
   to stay alive.
   Jerusalem shouts to the LORD,
   "Please look and see
   how miserable I am!"
   

Jerusalem Speaks:

 ¹²No passerby even cares. ^[e] Why doesn't someone notice    my terrible sufferings?
   You were fiercely angry, LORD,
   and you punished me
   worst of all.
    ¹³From heaven you sent a fire
   that burned in my bones;
   you set a trap for my feet
   and made me turn back.
   All day long you leave me
   in shock from constant pain.
    ¹⁴You have tied my sins
   around my neck, ^[f] and they weigh so heavily
   that my strength is gone.
   You have put me in the power
   of enemies
   too strong for me.
    ¹⁵You, LORD, have turned back
   my warriors
   and crushed
   my young heroes.
   Judah was a woman untouched,
   but you let her be trampled
   like grapes in a wine pit.
    ¹⁶Because of this, I mourn,
   and tears flood my eyes.
   No one is here to comfort
   or to encourage me;
   we have lost the war--
   my people are suffering.
   

The Prophet Speaks:

 ¹⁷Zion reaches out her hands,    but no one offers comfort.
   The LORD has turned
   the neighboring nations
   against Jacob's descendants.
   Jerusalem is merely a filthy rag
   to her neighbors.
   

Jerusalem Speaks:

 ¹⁸The LORD was right,    but I refused to obey him.
   Now I ask all of you to look
   at my sufferings--
   even my young people
   have been dragged away.
    ¹⁹I called out to my lovers,
   but they betrayed me.
   My priests and my leaders died
   while searching the city
   for scraps of food.
    ²⁰Won't you look and see
   how upset I am, our LORD?
   My stomach is in knots,
   and my heart is broken
   because I betrayed you.
   In the streets and at home,
   my people are slaughtered.
    ²¹Everyone heard my groaning,
   but no one offered comfort.
   My enemies know of the trouble
   that you have brought on me,
   and it makes them glad.
   Hurry and punish them,
   as you have promised.
    ²²Don't let their evil deeds
   escape your sight.
   Punish them as much
   as you have punished me
   because of my sins.
   I never stop groaning--
   I've lost all hope!
   

Lamentations 2

The LORD Was Like an Enemy

The Prophet Speaks:

 ¹The Lord was angry!    So he disgraced ^[g] Zion though it was Israel's pride
   and his own place of rest.
   In his anger he threw Zion down
   from heaven to earth.
    ²The LORD had no mercy!
   He destroyed the homes
   of Jacob's descendants.
   In his anger he tore down
   every walled city in Judah;
   he toppled the nation
   together with its leaders,
   leaving them in shame.
    ³The Lord was so furiously angry
   that he wiped out
   the whole army ^[h] of Israel by not supporting them
   when the enemy attacked.
   He was like a raging fire
   that swallowed up
   the descendants of Jacob.
    ⁴He attacked like an enemy
   with a bow and arrows,
   killing our loved ones.
   He has burned to the ground
   the homes on Mount Zion. ^{[i] 5}The Lord was like an enemy!
   He left Israel in ruins
   with its palaces
   and fortresses destroyed,
   and with everyone in Judah
   moaning and weeping.
    ⁶He shattered his temple
   like a hut in a garden; ^[j] he completely wiped out
   his meeting place,
   and did away with festivals
   and Sabbaths
   in the city of Zion.
   In his fierce anger he rejected
   our king and priests.
    ⁷The Lord abandoned his altar
   and his temple;
   he let Zion's enemies
   capture her fortresses.
   Noisy shouts were heard
   from the temple,
   as if it were a time
   of celebration.
    ⁸The LORD had decided
   to tear down the walls of Zion
   stone by stone.
   So he started destroying
   and did not stop
   until walls and fortresses
   mourned and trembled.
    ⁹Zion's gates have fallen
   facedown on the ground;
   the bars that locked the gates
   are smashed to pieces.
   Her king and royal family
   are prisoners
   in foreign lands.
   Her priests don't teach,
   and her prophets don't have
   a message from the LORD.
    ¹⁰Zion's leaders are silent.
   They just sit on the ground,
   tossing dirt on their heads
   and wearing sackcloth.
   Her young women can do nothing
   but stare at the ground.
    ¹¹My eyes are red from crying,
   my stomach is in knots,
   and I feel sick all over.
   My people are being wiped out,
   and children lie helpless
   in the streets of the city.
    ¹²A child begs its mother
   for food and drink,
   then blacks out
   like a wounded soldier
   lying in the street.
   The child slowly dies
   in its mother's arms.
    ¹³Zion, how can I comfort you?
   How great is your pain? ^[k] Lovely city of Jerusalem,
   how can I heal your wounds,
   gaping as wide as the sea?
    ¹⁴Your prophets deceived you
   with false visions
   and lying messages--
   they should have warned you
   to leave your sins
   and be saved from disaster.
    ¹⁵Those who pass by
   shake their heads and sneer
   as they make fun and shout,
   "What a lovely city you were,
   the happiest on earth,
   but look at you now!"
    ¹⁶Zion, your enemies curse you
   and snarl like wild animals,
   while shouting,
   "This is the day
   we've waited for!
   At last, we've got you!"
    ¹⁷The LORD has done everything
   that he had planned
   and threatened long ago.
   He destroyed you without mercy
   and let your enemies boast
   about
   their powerful forces. ^{[l] 18}Zion, deep in your heart
   you cried out to the Lord.
   Now let your tears overflow
   your walls day and night.
   Don't ever lose hope
   or let your tears stop.
    ¹⁹Get up and pray for help
   all through the night.
   Pour out your feelings
   to the Lord,
   as you would pour water
   out of a jug.
   Beg him to save your people,
   who are starving to death
   at every street crossing.
   

Footnotes:

1. Lamentations 1:2 lovers. . . friends: Israel's former allies.
2. Lamentations 1:3 Their. . . cruel: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
3. Lamentations 1:4 raped: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
4. Lamentations 1:10 to. . . people: Or "to enter his temple."
5. Lamentations 1:12 No. . . cares: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
6. Lamentations 1:14 You. . . neck: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
7. Lamentations 2:1 disgraced: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
8. Lamentations 2:3 army: The Hebrew text has "horn," which refers to the horn of a bull, one of the most powerful animals in ancient Palestine.
9. Lamentations 2:4 the homes on Mount Zion: Or "the temple on Mount Zion."
10. Lamentations 2:6 He. . . garden: Or "He shattered the temple walls, as if they were the walls of a garden."
11. Lamentations 2:13 How great. . . pain: Or "What are you really like?" or "What can I say about you?"
12. Lamentations 2:17 powerful forces: The Hebrew text has "horn," which refers to the horn of a bull, one of the most powerful animals in ancient Palestine.

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Philemon 1-25 (Contemporary English Version)

Philemon 1

 ¹From Paul, who is in jail for serving Christ Jesus, and from Timothy, who is like a brother because of our faith.    Philemon, you work with us and are very dear to us. This letter is to you
   ²and to the church that meets in your home. It is also to our dear friend Apphia and to Archippus, who serves the Lord as we do.
   ³I pray that God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you and will bless you with peace!
   

Philemon's Love and Faith

 ⁴Philemon, each time I mention you in my prayers, I thank God.    ⁵I hear about your faith in our Lord Jesus and about your love for all of God's people.
   ⁶As you share your faith with others, I pray that they may come to know all the blessings Christ has given us.
   ⁷My friend, your love has made me happy and has greatly encouraged me. It has also cheered the hearts of God's people.
   

Paul Speaks to Philemon about Onesimus

 ⁸Christ gives me the courage to tell you what to do.    ⁹But I would rather ask you to do it simply because of love. Yes, as someone ^[a] in jail for Christ,
   ¹⁰I beg you to help Onesimus! ^[b] He is like a son to me because I led him to Christ here in jail.
   ¹¹Before this, he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.
   ¹²Sending Onesimus back to you makes me very sad.
   ¹³I would like to keep him here with me, where he could take your place in helping me while I am here in prison for preaching the good news.
   ¹⁴But I won't do anything unless you agree to it first. I want your act of kindness to come from your heart, and not be something you feel forced to do.
   ¹⁵Perhaps Onesimus was taken from you for a little while so that you could have him back for good,
   ¹⁶but not as a slave. Onesimus is much more than a slave. To me he is a dear friend, but to you he is even more, both as a person and as a follower of the Lord.
   ¹⁷If you consider me a friend because of Christ, then welcome Onesimus as you would welcome me.
   ¹⁸If he has cheated you or owes you anything, charge it to my account.
   ¹⁹With my own hand I write: I, PAUL, WILL PAY YOU BACK. But don't forget that you owe me your life.
   ²⁰My dear friend and follower of Christ our Lord, please cheer me up by doing this for me.
   ²¹I am sure you will do all I have asked, and even more.
   ²²Please get a room ready for me. I hope your prayers will be answered, and I can visit you.
   ²³Epaphras is also here in jail for being a follower of Christ Jesus. He sends his greetings,
   ²⁴and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, who work together with me.
   ²⁵I pray that the Lord Jesus Christ will be kind to you!
   

Footnotes:

1. Philemon 1:9 someone: Greek "a messenger" or "an old man."
2. Philemon 1:10 Onesimus: In Greek this name means "useful."

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Psalm 101:1-8 (Contemporary English Version)

Psalm 101

(A psalm by David.)

A King and His Promises

 ¹I will sing to you, LORD!    I will celebrate your kindness
   and your justice.
    ²Please help me learn
   to do the right thing,
   and I will be honest and fair
   in my own kingdom.
    ³I refuse to be corrupt
   or to take part
   in anything crooked,
    ⁴and I won't be dishonest
   or deceitful.
    ⁵Anyone who spreads gossip
   will be silenced,
   and no one who is conceited
   will be my friend.
    ⁶I will find trustworthy people
   to serve as my advisors,
   and only an honest person
   will serve as an official.
    ⁷No one who cheats or lies
   will have a position
   in my royal court.
    ⁸Each morning I will silence
   any lawbreakers I find
   in the countryside
   or in the city of the LORD.

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Proverbs 26:20 (Contemporary English Version)

²⁰Where there is no fuel
   a fire goes out;
   where there is no gossip
   arguments come to an end.

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Verse of the Day

“[Christ Brings New Life]Dear friends, God is good. So I beg you to offer your bodies to him as a living sacrifice, pure and pleasing. That's the most sensible way to serve God.” - Romans 12:1

Today's passage is from the Contemporary English Version.

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Thought for the Day

French novelist, essayist, diplomat and playwright, Jean Giraudoux wrote, “Only the mediocre are always at their best.”